Don Mattingly was ejected for the first time as Dodgers manager after arguing that Jose Tabata trapped Juan Uribe‘s liner to left that turned into a double play in the eighth inning of the game against the Pirates.

Replays confirmed that Tabata did indeed trap the ball.

The score was tied 1-1 when Tabata doubled Matt Kamp off first to end the top of the eighth. Apparently uninspired by Mattingly’s ejection, the Dodgers have already allowed three runs without getting an out in the bottom of the eighth.

The problem I would have with replay on this kind of play, or any other live-ball play, is what do you with the batter/runners? How do you know what would have happened had the proper call been made? This play is one of the easier ones, you can assume one base for the batter and each runner and it’s probably right most of the time. But what about the reverse situation, if the call was “trap”, the batter/runners agvanced and the replay showed catch? Batter out and runners go back? What if they could have tagged and advanced?

How about the line drive down the line that’s called foul? Replay shows it should have been fair, how many bases do you give the batter? Would the runner on first have scored? Do you call it a ground-rule double? Maybe the outfielder would have thrown the batter out trying for second. So many possibilities. And I’d hate to see the umps always trying to make the call that keeps play going, knowing that it’s easier to “undo” a missed call that way. Umpiring is hard enough without having to inject that into the judgement process.

Safe or out calls at a base when time is called immediately either way, okay, I’m all for “eye-in-the-sky” replay. But there are so many plays that continue after the call, and how they play out is based on the call.

I know I’m not the first to voice this, and I’ve yet to hear a good solution to it. Maybe it’s out there, but I sure don’t know what it is.

Its appropriate that Mattingly is the captain of a sinking ship, and a ship that (at least for one night) was sunk by Pirates. This is the guy that everyone gushes about being such a class act. But I recall one time years ago when he was not so classy.

Years ago, before the Bonds/ Bonillia/ Van Slyke/ incarnation of the Pirates, when they were an awful team (yes, like they have been again in the past 18 years), the Yankees and the Pirates swung a trade where a pitcher went to the Yankees (don’t recall offhand who this guy was). Mattingly made the comment – and I’m paraphrasing here – “He a good pitcher. He’s been with quite a few major league teams… and the Pirates”. Correct? Accurate? Yes. Inappropriate for a pro to make? Absolutely!

I hope karma continues to be a bitch and the Pirates are a thorn in your side for your entire coaching career. Then you can say you’ve lost to quite a few major league teams…and the Pirates!